Vehicle lamp



H. J. SAUER Feb. 24, 1942.

VEHICLE LAMP Filed Sept. 14, 1959 INVENTOR H%NRY LI. 5

ALIEH.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb.24, 1942 S ,MTENT QBFFICEE VEHICLE- LAMP QI-IenryQJI Sauer,"Fairfield, .Conn.,- assignor tdThe Kilbo rn-Sauer Company, Fairfield, i g corporation of Gonnecticut rApplication-September 14,"1939,?Seriflllm294fl29 1' Claim.

1Al1:0bj0l710f the invention is to; provide a lamp H :15 casing, (member ,I 9, having' an annular rearwardly :tstructure in which the flexible connection 1 be 3 tween the ,tlattaching bracket a and lamp .proper consists of: a relatively shorti flexible: strapimem- #:ber connected to the bracket lan'dea verticalrigid 3' extension vmember connected to the lamp, this rigidelementiadaptedh-to receive the :lower end of the flexiblestrap member in a manner to position 'jects,-and seal it against-the deteriorating-effect of mud, waterand the like.

at further object is" to provide a-rigid exten- $1011 connection -me1nbersecured to theiamp, which forms a reinforcement therefor; and which in the case of impact against the'lamp will not tend to loosenthe connection of the; lamp-with ;saidr-connectionp'mernber, and "to "provide the lower"end'ofitheflexible strapmember' a substantially greatendistance above the lamp than 'has beenthe, case "in vehicle lamps ofthis general 'typeheretofore in.use. I

"A"further object is toprovide improved electrical connection means between, the lbracketwand the rigid connection member, and in whichthe ends .oflthe, electrical connection are securely and permanently clamped and enclosed, thereby insuring reliable electrical contact and protection of the connections against deterioration from mud, water or the like, the connection being such that the contact ends are effectually sealed and closed against the entrance of such mud, water, or the like.

With th above andother objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will 'be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. l'is a front elevation of [a vehicle lamp,

according to the exemplary illustrated-embodi- ':ment of the invention. I

Fig.2 is arear elevation. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation. Fig.1 4; is a vertical sectional viewjtakenialong "theline". I-edof'FigNZ.

:5 Fig. 5 is a horizontal :sectional view, taken i alongithedine 5- 5 of Fig. 2. :Similar reference characters indicate :correspending :parts throughout the several .figures :oi

:theidrawing. t

' :Referring .to the drawing, the vehicleflamp, according I to: the exemplary :illustrated embodimentuof' the invention comprisesi a lamp ba'ckor oembossed' offset portion llf provided with a central lamp; socket?receivingropeningformed:by'=a rearwardly extending l cylindrical flange I'Z. A forwardly,projectingiinwardly converging rim I3 520 is. formed uponthe casingmember' for thefpur- ;Iposeof receiving the split. spring retaining 'ring I4, which engages the base flange of the lens l6 to retain the-latter intplace; the'ring being,re movable for the purpose. ofremoving thelens? to replaceburnedoutbulbs.

The lamp socket shell i1 is pressed'into'the cylindrical flange I2 with-a forcefit to'retain 'it inplace this shellbeingrprovided at its'inner i portion with bayonet slots "I 8-l-8, and provided mi Within its outer, portion with "an insulation'disc l9 havingua center contact buttonwzfl connected e to a conductor wire :2l extending rearwardly through the aperture-22 in'the base of: the shell, a- -spring'23' being disposed between thebase of ":lt' the shell and the disc 19. The lamp base24 ,providedwith diametrically :opposed pins 25-'-25 is engaged in the socket in the usualflmanner by turning the pins- 25 into the bayonet slots" 18;" the (spring: 23 maintaining this connection and also a u; pressingthe contactbutton 20 into engagement with the centercontact 260i the lamp base.

To the rearward side of the lamp casing there is secured a rigid vertically disposed extension and connection member, consisting of a lower #5 cape portion 27 shaped to fit over the upper part of the rearwardly embossed back of the casing, its lower edge being cut out, as at 28, to extend around the flange I2 and inclined outwardly and upwardly from each side of the cut-out 28, as at 2929. The cape portion 2'! is rigidly secured to the lamp casing by spot-welding, as at 30. It will be understood that rivets or other suitable securing means may beemployed if desired. A vertical extension 3| projects upwardly from the 5-3 cape portion and is provided at its vertical edges 1 confined by the flanges 32.

with rearwardly bent parallel flange 32-32, these flanges being extended at their lower ends into downwardly and outwardly curved flanges 33-33 following the outline of the cape portion. The flanges 32 are adapted, as will presently more fully appear, to position and protect the flexible strap member, and these flanges 32 together with their extension flanges 33, impart great rigidity to the connection member, so that relatively thin sheet metal may be employed in its construction, and at the same time there will be no likelihood of it becoming distorted through impact therewith. Ne'ar the upper end of the extension 3| there are provided holes 34 to receive the attaching rivets for the lower end of the flexible strap member, as will presently more fully appear.

A right angle shaped attaching bracket member 35 is provided in its upper portion with holes 36 to receive attaching screws to secure the lamp to the truck or trailer structure, its forward downwardly bent vertical portion being provided with holes 31 to receive the attaching rivets for the upper end of the flexible strap member, as will presently more fully appear.

The flexible connection consists of alength of flexible strap38, of rectangular form, its width dimension being such as to be received within the upper end of the extension member 3| with the vertical edges of the strap positioned and The flexible strap 38 may be formed of any suitable material, but

, is preferably formed of tough impregnated fabric similar to brake lining material, this fabric being such as to provide the necessary strength, flexibility, and resistance to wear and the deteriorating effect of mud and water. The upper end of the strap is engaged within the bracket 35, its forward face being in contact with the rearward face of the vertical downwardly extending portion of the bracket. The upper and lower ends of the strap are respectively provided with holes 39 and 40 registering with the holes 37 and V 34 of the bracket and extension member respectively, and attaching rivets 4| and 42 are engaged through these holes and through clamping strips or plates 43 and 44, respectively provided with rivet holes 45 and 46.

Before'securing the rivets and the clamping plates an electrical conductor wire 31 is arranged in relation to the flexible strap member in order to electrically connect the bracket 35 to the extension member 3|, and thus complete the ground connection of the lamp to the vehicle body. This wire is preferably a flat woven ribbon like copper strand cable and its ends are folded about the upper and lower ends of the strap 38,

' as at 48 and 49, while its intermediate portion is' provided with a loop 50, so that excessive flexing of the strap 38 will not impose strain upon it. With the ends of the wire folded about the ends of the strap the clamping plates 43 and 44 are tightly secured by riveting over the ends of the rivets, as at 5| and 52, suificient pressure being exerted to embed the connections in the strap to seal them against the entrance of mud and water, and at the same time insuring a positive contact between the wire and the metallic bracket 35 and extension 3!.

It will be noted that through the inter-position of the rigid extension member 3| the connection of the flexible strap to the lamp is at a point substantially above the lamp, so that a substantially shorter strap is employed than heretofore, which has the advantage of reducing the amount of material which may be subject to deterioration through constant movement and the effects of weather, and the connection of the flexible member is protected against direct strain in the event of impact with the lamp.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A flexibly mounted vehicle lamp, comprising a lamp assembly including a circular casing having an annular lens abutting marginal back portion, an annular forwardly projecting peripheral lens retaining rim flange portion, a rearwardly offset back portion, and a rearwardly projecting annular shoulder connecting the inner edge of said marginal back portion to the outer edge of said rearwardly offset back portion, a rigid extension member including an upper vertically disposed portion engaged with the rearward side of said marginal back portion and projecting upwardly from the casing, and a lower shouldered cape portion in the form of a section of a circle fitted to the upper part only of said rearwardly projecting annular shoulder and extending downwardly over said rearwardly offset back portion, circumferential marginal portions continuous and in the same vertical plane with said vertically disposed portion and surrounding said shouldered cape portion at each side, and a rearwardly extending flange extending continuously along each of the vertical edges of said vertically disposed portion and the circumferential edge of said circumferential marginal portions continuous therewith, means rigidly securing said cape portion to said rearwardly offset back portion against relative turning movement, an attaching bracket, and a flexible connection member secured at its upper end to said attaching bracket and secured at its lower end to said upper portion of said extension member.

HENRY J. SAUER. 

